Times Square–42nd Street (New York City Subway)
}} Times Square–42nd Street is the busiest station complex of the New York City Subway, joining four lines, with a free transfer via a passageway to a fifth (42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal on the IND Eighth Avenue Line ( )). It lies under , at the intersection of 42nd Street, Seventh Avenue and Broadway. 42nd Street Shuttle platforms Times Square was originally a local station on the first subway, which opened in 1904. Since 1918 three shuttle tracks serve it; the southbound express track was removed. There is no track connection between the northbound local and the other two tracks anywhere along the shuttle. Platforms are located on both sides (at the old local platforms) and where the southbound express track was; all three platforms connect on the north (compass west) side. This walkway crosses the northbound local track on a bridge that can be lifted for the only access to that track, via a merge into the northbound IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line local track along the original subway alignment (north of the current Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line station). This track merge is only used for overnight swaps and special railfan excursion trains. The other three tracks used to curve parallel to this one. Because of the curvature on the platforms, gap fillers are used to bridge the gap between train and platform. An underpass which used to connect the original side platforms lies between the downtown local track and the two express and the uptown local tracks of the BMT Broadway Line, which runs perpendicular to the shuttle. Flushing Line platform Times Square is the terminal for all service. It has one island platform between the two tracks located along West 41st Street. There are stairs, escalators and an elevator along the platform leading to various mezzanines. There are "TS" tile mosaics along the station walls. An office is located at the north end of the platform. An elevator was recently installed and connects with the Downtown IRT 7th Ave platform and then the mezzanine. The tracks continue south (compass west) beyond the station to an unused storage and layover area. If the Flushing Line were to be extended, as has been proposed, work would have to done to improve this stretch. The closed lower level platform at 42nd Street-Port Authority Bus Terminal on the IND Eighth Avenue Line would also have to be removed. Broadway Line platforms Times Square–42nd Street is an express station with four tracks and two island platforms. Connections to the other lines are at the north end of the platforms. This station received a minor overhaul in the late 1970s. MTA did fix the station's structure and the overhaul appearance. It fixed staircases, platform edges, and also replace lighting. In 2004-2006, the station was receiving a major overhaul. It was received state of repairs as well as upgrading the station for compliance and restoring the original late 1910s tiling. MTA did repair the staircases, re-tiling for the walls, new tiling on the floors, upgrading the station's lights and the public address system, installing yellow safety threads along the platform edge, new signs, and new trackbeds in both directions. Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line platforms Times Square–42nd Street is an express station with four tracks and two island platforms. Access to the other lines is provided at the North end and in the center of each platform. An elevator was recently installed and is now in operation but there are very few signs in the station complex that show where they are. Just to the south of the station, a fifth center track begins, formed by a connection from each express track. This track splits back into the two express tracks just before 34th Street–Penn Station. This section of line was the site of a 1928 wreck which killed 16 people, the second worst in New York City history. The complex This station has been undergoing total reconstruction in stages starting in the mid-1990s. The reconstruction included a new entryway on the south side of 42nd Street between Seventh Avenue and Broadway, featuring a bright neon and colored glass flashing sign with the train route symbols and the word "Subway". The street level fare control at this site features restored original "Times Square" mosaics from the Contract I station walls (now used by the shuttle), and both escalators and stairs lead into the complex. There are also similar renovated entrances on the northwest and southwest corners of Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street, the latter of which has both esclators and stairs, while the former has only stairs. In 1999, a US$44 million renovation of the complex began. The goal is to reduce congestion and improve rider access, comfort and safety by improving visual lines and increasing pedestrian capacity. The main corridor is being widened 15 feet, and the number of sharp corners reduced; ADA compliance is being introduced with elevators; new escalators are being built; and other corridors are being widened. The mezzanine above the BMT Broadway Line now features a large oval balcony looking over the trackway and has reduced the sense of claustrophobia described by many riders. In 2004, four unisex stall bathrooms were opened on the mezzanine between the IRT and BMT lines; they are staffed and maintained by employees of the . The free transfer between the IRT and BMT was added in 1948. The free passageway, which runs west one block to the 42nd Street–Port Authority Bus Terminal on the IND Eighth Avenue Line, was added a while later. Since 1991, the ceiling of the passageway has featured a series of -style signs that form a poem called the "Commuter's Lament" by Norman B. Colp. The poem goes: "Overslept/So tired/If late/Get fired./Why bother?/Why the pain?/Just go home/Do it again./" with the last panel being a picture of a bed. The panels were part of an art project that was supposed to last only one year, but was never removed. Relative depths *IRT 42nd Street Shuttle, 20 feet below street *IND Eighth Avenue Line (one block west), 30 feet *IRT Broadway-Seventh Avenue Line, 40 feet *BMT Broadway Line, 50 feet *IRT Flushing Line, 60 feet Bus connections * * * * * * External links *Abandoned Stations - proposed Grand Central shuttle platform (includes a track diagram) *nycsubway.org - IRT Grand Central/Times Square Shuttle: Times Square *nycsubway.org - IRT Flushing Line: Times Square *nycsubway.org - IRT West Side Line: Times Square/42nd Street (text used with permission) *nycsubway.org - BMT Broadway Subway: Times Square/42nd Street *Review and photos of the Times Square bathrooms at Gothamist (blog)